Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers on September 22, 2026
Genres: Children's
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God’s creation is celebrated in a radiant, poetic retelling of the biblical story.
At the beginning of all things, God spoke, and a family tree sprouted in the dust. Adam and Eve were the first branches, but soon this beautiful tree came to include Noah, Abraham, Jesse, King David, and eventually Jesus…
Rebecca Janni’s Branch retells our journey from sin to salvation through stirring poetry and a wonderfully accessible metaphor of trees, gardens, and plants. Luminous art from Michelle Carlos overflows with striking Old and New Testament imagery, which is explained further in back matter notes from the author and illustrator. Whether readers are hearing this story for the first―or hundredth―time, they’ll find something new to discover on this expansive journey from Genesis to Revelation. Branch is an unforgettable book to share during all seasons, especially around Christmas and Easter.
Branch is the story of life. It begins with Creation—a colorful swirl invading dark nothingness. From the cosmos to the planet to the earth and seas, Branch takes readers on an eye-catching, beautiful journey through the redemptive history. Michelle Carlos’s vivid illustrations combine with Rebecca Janni’s lyrical words to tell the story of humanity—Genesis to Revelation—using the metaphor of nature.
The narrative shifts to humanity:
The left panel holds the words: And God bent low / in the dust of the ground / God planted a seed / a new tree sprouted / a family tree / that began with Adam and Eve…
The right panel features Adam and Eve in an embrace, emerging from and intertwined with a tree that branches out with fruit…and a snake that slithers through the branches. The following pages show how we are part of this family tree with all of the pre-flood patriarchs represented by a bird in a tree with Noah a dove flying off into the distance.
We’re told then that family tree breaks and falters and withers until it is only a stump. But from that stump comes new life—a new lineage from the line of Jesse leading all the way to a Messiah named Jesus. Jesus, a seed who is buried but like a plant breaks through the ground in new life.
Branch is a sweeping retelling of redemptive history using trees and branches as its guiding metaphor. In particular, it takes from the creation story (Genesis 1-3), the family tree of Jesus (Matthew 1, Luke 3), the Resurrection (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 2), the parable of the vine and branches (John 15), the metaphor of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5), and the prophecy of a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21-22). This unique metaphor that weaves throughout all of Scripture helps us see the story of God from a new perspective, yet one that is firmly rooted in Scriptural tradition and historical reality.
This is art. It’s beautiful. It captures you in ways that reading the same old texts over and over again might not. It opens us up to see the old, old story in a new and life-giving way. It invites us to truly consider the depth and majesty of the literary metaphors in Scripture and how they bring depth and life to our theological understandings. It’s an absolutely incredible book.